what to do with 1/2 full jam jars

Patty from Yorktown 8/26/2010, 7:14 pm

Greetings experienced canners,

Please tell me why this is a bad idea.... I am learning to can with tomato sauce and jam. It is going well, however I keep making batches of jam which make a half a jar. This is not a problem when I only make a single batch of a fruit, but I am on my third batch of peach jam (got a lot of free peaches.) Can I combine the half jars and process them in a hot water bath for 10 minutes? Or should I make more biscuits? Thanks for the help.

Patty in peachy Yorktown

Retired Member 1 8/26/2010, 7:55 pm

If I'm making different batches the same day, I'll combine them and process. Otherwise I just stick them in the fridge -- they keep for months, so no need to bake more biscuits right away.

My trick if the combined jam (or salsa, for me) has cooled off is to stick the open jar in the microwave -- watch carefully so it doesn't boil over -- and then seal and process as usual. Probably not necessary, but it makes sense to me to start all the jars off hot in the water bath canner.

Patty from Yorktown 8/26/2010, 10:04 pm

Hi,

Thanks about the heating tip. I will probably try it tomorrow. I would agree that starting with all hot liquid makes sense. I am out of pectin and time. Making jam has been interesting. Today I made peach with spices, peace with vanilla, 2 just peach batches and a blueberry peach batch. (Well I made one of the just peach batches yesterday.) I think I might try a peach with blueberry and vanilla tomorrow. I am also out of small jars, guess its out to the store.zzzzzzzz Thanks again for the help.

Patty from Yorktown

ander217 8/27/2010, 8:56 am

Patty, your jam sounds yummy.

Have you tried making peach freezer jam? It's so easy to make, tastes like fresh peaches to me, and requires no processing. I make it in pint jars. (The directions are usually included in the pectin box.) It's my second-favorite freezer jam, after strawberry.

Remember, any jam that doesn't set well is called pancake or ice cream syrup. Smile

Congratulations on successful canning!

Patty from Yorktown 8/27/2010, 1:24 pm

Hi,

I made a lot of freezer jam out of strawberries. I have tried to learn canning as a way of preserving food which does not take up freezer space. This summer I learned how much space was devoted to storing tomato products, when I started to can spaghetti sauce. So instead of filing my freezer with tomatoes and jam it is getting zucchini. I also do some of the cook once eat all month style of cooking, which uses a lot of freezer space. However, I have so much jam, that I think some of it will go to good friends as a Christmas gift. Today I made strawberry, peach with a dash of vanilla jam and strawberry, blueberry peach jam. For a total of 17 jars at 8oz, plus 29 8oz. jars from the last two days. I hope to be done with jam for a while!!!

Patty of the sticky fingers in Yorktown

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what to do with 1/2 full jam jars

what to do with 1/2 full jam jars

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Yummy

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